Air cylinder apparatus for bottle filling machines



June 1, 1943. G. .1. MEYER am AIR CYLINDER APPARATUS FOR BOTTLE FILLINGMACHINES Filed July 2o, 194o` 2 sheets-sheet 1 G. J. MEYER June l, 1943.

AIR CYLINDER APPARATUS FOR BOTTLE FILLING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20. 1940 .//V VEN TOR Mw MM@ J. T

G Y B 1 Patented June l, 1943 i* A AIR CYLINDER APPARATUS Fon BOTTLE FILLING MACHINES A George J. Meyer, Milwaukee,l Wis., assignor to vhy, Wis.,'la corporation or Wisconsin Geo. J. Meyer Manufacturing Company, Cuia` f application July 2o, i940, serial No. 346,563

`"1 Claims. (ci. 121-45) The present invention relates `to bottle filling machines and more particularly to the cylinder r apparatus for the type of filling machine in which thebottles are lifted to filling position` by iluid pressure, a machine of this general `type being exempliiied in United States Letters Patent No 1,166,520 to John E, Helles, dated January 4, 1916. r

An object of the invention is to provide the bottle lifting cylindersof afllling machine with improved valve means of simple and durable construction "for controlling their operation, the valve means being capable of inexpensive manufacture and being ofrsuch'` character as to permit easyand accurateresurfacing of the cooperating valve seats or faces thereof iffV accidentally damaged by foreign substances. Y x

Another object is to provide simple ,andY easily mounted means for supplying compressed'air or other motive fluid to theseveral valve-controlled` cylinders. l

Still another object is to perfect details of construction generally. l l

' The invention further consists in thefseveral is preferablyof square or other noncircularcross- 25 section and slidably extends through an upper features hereinafter describedand claimed.`

In the accompanying drawings, y "'Fig. 1 is a partial vertical sectional elevation ot a bottle fillingV machine embodying the invention, the section rbeing taken generally along the line I-I of Fig.2; A, y t

Fig. 2 is a partial planY and horizontal section; Fig. 3 is a bottom view of a portionof an air cylinder assembly, parts being broken away, parts being shown in section, and partsbeing omitted;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation or the lower portion of one of the cylinders, taken transversely oi'v its path of movement, a bottle-liftingpiston wheel or carrier which is rotatably the tubular post. The usual tank or bowl I9 is suitably supported'above the wheel i8 to rotate A therewith, and is adapted to containand disutribute the liquid to. be bottled, the tank being suppliedwith liquid Vthrough thelusualpipe 20, Fig. 2,'extending concentrically through the tubular post l1. The tank is provided with the usual downwardly Aprojecting fillingv nozzles or siphon n tubes 2 I` one being shown, and is further provided `withpivloted bottle-centeringguides `22, one being for the cylinderbeing shown in its lowermost posii tion;

Fig. 5 is an outerelevation-vofuthei, cylinder assembly of Fig. 3, parts beingbroken away and parts Vbeing shown in section; iI if Fig. 6 is a `sectional elevation taken generallyk along the line 6-'6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 'i is atop vi'ew of a rocking valve member; I

45 tical bore 36 extends in each embossmentco- Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a centering ring for the valve member;

Fig. 9 is a top view of acup leather retainer,

and

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of the cup leather retainer, taken along theline lli-IU of Fig. 9, a Vportion. of a cooperating piston member being also shown in section.

In these drawings, i5 designates a base plate on which is mounted a. legged stand I6, Fig. 2, having a tubular post or column i1, and I3 designates a Below; and V1n une with the Siphon 'tubes 2|, vertical' cylinders 23 are rigidly secured near their Y15IuDperends on the apertured rim portion of the wheel i8, so as to turn with'the wheel and tank. These cylinders are arranged` in acircular ser-ies as usual'and are provided withpistons designated generally by the numeral 24, and hereinafter more fully described. The pistons Aare attached to ,piston-.rodsl which are provided at their upperV v endswithsupports or platforms 26 on which the bottlesjzl are adapted to stand. Each piston rod cylinder head 28@ This cylinder head has a relief n port 29 which is open at all times to the space above the piston. Each piston may be Yindividu- .ally locked in its lowermost position, as by means 30 of a 'detachable pin 30, Fig. l, adapted to pass through transversely extending apertures 3l in bodies, there being a double cylinder head for leach adjacent pair of cylinders. Formed on the underside of eachxhead 32 aretWo generally circular valve seat embos'smkents 33, one for each of the two cylinders, each embossment being eccen- V40 trically arranged with respect to the axis of the vf corresponding cylinder. These embossments present flat annular valve seats 34 which are disposed in a plane normal to the cylinder axes, there being a central recess 35 in each embossment. A vercylinder head has its lower end forming a port inthe valve seat 34 at a point diametrically oppof site the lower end of the bore 36. The inclined bore extends along a rib 33 of a projection or ear 40 formed at the inner side of the bottom cylinder head radially of the Vwheel and communicates mounted on Y A.with-a pocket 4l in an upwardly opening semi- `cylindrical header seat 42 formed transversely `on the double cylinder head 32, the registering ofV theear. Each rib extends radially from the periphery of the corresponding valvev seat embossment. A horizontal ring-like air supply tube 43 forming a header or manifold is arranged concentrically of the; wheel I8 and is secured to the seats 42 by clamps `44 which are fastened tothe ears 40 by bolts 45. The tubular header 43 is provided at its bottom with portsr46, Fig. 4,--

registering withjthe pockets 4I, and apertured conducted to the header43 bya pipe 48, and the latter communicates with a source of compressed air through the usual swivel coupling, not shown.

An. inlet port or bore 481s formed in each cylinder head embossment 33 at a distance from the supply port 38V and communicates with the cylinder space.

' l An oscillatory or rocking valveV member 50, bearing against the valve seat34 of each cylinder, controls the admission and release of air or other Vmotive fluid under pressure to and from theA cylinder, so as to eect the lrai`sing'^and lower-p, ingof theV bottle with respect to the filling noz- Y zle or siphon' tube 2l. :Each valve member 53 is yprovided with a flat annularvalveseat 5i and a central reces's'52. ,A'vring' 53 in the form of aV w short tube fits around the 'cylinder head: embossrmerit 33 and the registering circular lportion or embossment 5 4 of the valve member to *retain the valve member in a centered positionwith re- 'spectto the cylinder head embossment, and to Y formI a pivot: means, the ring -being confined axiy ally'b'y the bottom of the cylinder'head and by a peripheral ange 55 formed on the valve member. The centering ring 53 is engageable with spaced lands 5 5, Fig. 3, formed onthe periphery of the cylinder head embossmentf33, and is provided with a notch 51, Fig. 8, which provides Y clearance for the cylinder head rib 39 vand pre- ,1 vents Arotation of the ring, fThe-ringf153 also encloses the jointk at the vpe'ripheries of the valve` seat andthe valve member face.- The axial width.V

of the ring 53 is somewhat shorter thanv the dis- "portor pocket 58 is formed in the valve seat or face 5I of the valve member and 'is' adapted to Vvthe semi-cylindrical seats 42.. Compressed air end lugs 34 and 86 being secured together by bolts 58, and the registering intermediate lugs 65 and 61 being secured together by a bolt 6l. The bottom faces of the lugs 56 and 61 are cov planar with the bottom faces of the valve seat embossments, thus facilitating machining. Each rocking valve member has formed thereon a Y vafford clearance for these arms. The bracket is provided at itsfopposite sides with upstandlng Vstop"a bu tment`s or lugsy 12 and 13 which are L adapted to be engaged by the Varms ofthe valve members vto limit the angular movement of the valve'members and to determine the terminal arezengageable alternately with trips :14V and 15 j tance between the bottom of the cylinder end wall and the valvemember flange 55,v so as to mounted on a stationarycurved bar Y secured Y to the stand I6 andarranged concentrically of the wheel I8;i The trip-14,which1controls the raising iof Vthe pistons, is engageable with the inwardly proJ'ecting valve memberv arms 10, while the trip15, 'which controls the Aloweringfof the pistons, is engageable Ywith the outwardly projecting valve member arms 1 I. The rocking valve members are suitably lubricated, as by admittinga small quantity'of waterinto Ithe air supply pipe 48. The water will drain out of the bottom ports 46 of the header 43 anddown the inclined passages 38 to the 'valvemembera The bottle-carrying wheel I8 and the tank I! are rotated in'any suitable mannenas bymeans of gearing including a ring gear 11 secured to the underside ofj'the wheel'. f

Onone side ofthe machine between the trips 14 and 15fthe .filled bottles vare discharged from the machine onto a'table'18, as by means ofza curved diverting guide 19..

communicate with the air supply bore 38 and `cylinder inlet port 49, so as to admitcompressed Vair into the cylinder when the valve member is swung to one of its terminal positions. An exhaust port or passage 58 extends through the valve member and is adapted to communicate with the cylinder head exhaust port 36 when the valve member is swung to its other terminal posi- Eachwalve member' 50 is 'urged upwardly fitting overl the shank of a rivet 62, the round head of which bears in a conical pocket 53 formed centrally in the bottom face of thevalve Each piston 24 comprises a piston member 80 which is held on the reduced lowerportion of the pistonvrod against relative rotation and has a dished bottom surface 8 I, the marginal portion of which is defined by a. downwardly projecting' annular rib 82 having a .concave inner surface.

portions 84 to fit within the annular piston rib 82 and against the bottom of the piston member,

member. The bracketV 5I is provided with upwardly projecting end lugs 54 and an intermediate lug B5 bearing against the flatbottom faces of downwardly proJecting-lugaanebWiornmL and has a tapered lower edge85, Fig. lil, adapted to slidably b ear'against the Vcylinder walls. The

Apiston member and retaining member 83 have approximately equal outside diameters. A cupped lpacking member 86,A such as a cup leather, is

clamped against the bottom of the piston member 80 and retaining ring 85 by a cylindrical fol-v' lower 81iwhich is screw-threaded onto the lower end of the piston rrod 25. The outer bend of the leather fits against the concave inner surface of the retaining ring' 83. The outer diameter of the follower is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cup leather, and the upper circular vdescend by gravity,

andere non or the retaining :mi u a nightly :rester edge of the leather bears `against the cylinder walls4 below the=thin lower edge of the retaining l ring. By this construction the cup leather is firmly connedin position, and the shape of the cup leather is maintained.-v The retaining ring 88 avoids the formation of=a shoulder at `the peripheral portion of thevcup `leather .and prevents any tendency of the leather to squeeze be- -tween thecylinderwalls and the piston walls.

In order to cushion the movement of the piston at the lower end of its descending travel. a

Y headed needle valve 88 is Vslidably mounted `and thus restricting the outflow of air. The headed Vthan the thicknessv ot the leather, andthe tree y .Letters Patent is:

pivot means or other proi'ections to interfere with this operation. 1 t A, What I claim as newand desire to secure by 1. In combination, a cylinderhaving a piston V therein and having an embossment presenting a fiat valve seat ported to communicate with the cylinder space, said cylinder having a rib ex- Y tending vlaterally from theperiphery of said embossment and having in said rib s.A fluid 4supply passage forming a port at said seat, a rocking valve member having a fiat ported valveface engageable with said valve seat for controlling the flow of'uid with respect Yto said cylinder,

, means for detachably holding said valve member against saidseat, and an annular centering member for said rocking valve member ntting around 4 the engaging portions of said valve seat and valve upper end of therneedle valve prevents the valve from dropping out when the piston is raised.

In operation, the bottle-carrying wheel I8 and liquid tank I9 rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. The bottle supports 26 in the vicinity of the discharge table 'I8 are in their lower positions, and` empty bottles are placed on the supports as they pass between the discharge Y table and the trip 14. When the inwardly projecting arms "l0 on the rocking valve members 50 pass the trip roller 14, they turn the valve members into the position shown in Fig. 5 and shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, thus closing the exhaust ports 38 in the lower cylinder heads and admitting air to the inlet ports 48 by way .of the arcuate transfer ports or pockets 58, so as to force the pistons upwardly,` carrying the bottles Von the supports 26 upwardly beyond the displaceable centering guides 22 and over' the siphon tubes 2|. The moving bottles are then iilled with liquid `in the manner characteristic of counter-pressure filling machines. After the bottles are filled the outwardly projecting arms 1l of the valve members are brought into engagement with the trip 15. thus turning the valve member lill to the position seen in Fig. 4 and shown by full lines in Fig. 3, shutting of! the supply of compressed air to the cylinders and opening the cylinder exhaust ports 36. The pistons 425 with the filled bottles carried by the supports 28 are thus allowed to and the lower portion of their travel is cushioned by the operation of the cushioning valves 89. The filled bottles finally reach the diverting guide 19 and pass onto the discharge table i8.

In a filling machine, a bottle-lifting cylinder or its associated siphon may `occasionally get out of order, and it may not be convenient to stop the machine for some time thereafter to permit adjustment. While individualair cocks for-the cylinders could be provided toshut of! the air supply in such contingency, it is somewhat simpler to retain a piston in its lowermost position by the detachable locking pin 30 shown in Fig. 1.

In some instances, foreign substances may damage the iiat polishedfaces 34 and 5I of the valve seat embossments 33 and the rocking valve members 50. If this should occur, the brackets 6l can readily be detached from the lower cylinder heads to permit removal of the valve members and their centering rings, and the fiat valve faces on the embossments and valve members can easily be lapped back to proper condition, as

'by means of an abrasive disk, there being no face and having a notch through which said rib extends.

2. In combination, a cylinder having a piston therein and having an embossment with a flat valve seat ported to communicate with the cylinder space, a rocking valve member having a flat ported valve-face engageable with said valve seat for controlling the flow of fluid with respect to said cylinder. means for detachably holding said valve member against said seat, and an annular centering member for said rocking valve member detachably fitting around the engaging portions l of said valve'seat and valve face, said centering member being stationary with respect to said valve seat and being confined axially by a peripheral portion of said valve member.

3. In combination, a cylinder having a piston therein and having an embossment with a at valve seat thereon ported to communicate with the cylinder space, a rocking 4valve member having an embossment with a flat ported valve face thereon engageable with said valve seat for controlling the flow of fluid with respect to said cylinder, means vfor detachably holding said valve member against said seat, and an annular centering member for said valve member detachably iitting around said'\valve seat embossment and said valve member embossment, said valve member having a projection to axially confine said annular centering member.

4. In combination, a cylinder having a piston therein and having a at valve seat ported to communicate with the cylinder space and with a source of motive nuid, a rockably mounted disk valve member having a fiat ported valve face engageable Awith said valve 'seat for controlling the flow of fluid with respect to said cylinder, said valve member having a pai'r of angularly spaced operating arms extending outwardly from its periphery. a bracket secured to said cylinder and being open at opposite sides to pass said respec` tive arms, and spring means carried by said bracket for holding said valve member against said seat.

5. In combination, a cylinder having a piston therein and having a flat valve seat portedi to communicate with the cylinder space and with a source of motive fluid, a rockably mounted armed valve member having a flat ported valve face engageable with said valve seat for controlling the ow of uid with respect to said cylinder, a bracket having lugs secured to said cylinder, and spring. means carried by said bracket for holding said valve member against said seat, said cylinder having bracket-attaching projections presenting surfaces coplanar with said 4j n Y Y Y, @andere L valve seat andgformlngabutments for the ends Y r6. In combinatioma lcylinder having a Ypisixin therein'and having a head provided with a ilat Y' exterior valve .seat'and a conduit seat, said valve seat being'at the end of the cylinder and-sadV conduitlseat being at the side/'of the cylinder, there ment with said `ported valve seat for controlling j "the iiow of fiuid'with respect to said cylinder,

'f f '7. In combination, a valve body having thereon Aan embossment witha fiat valve seat ported for the passage of iiuid; arocking valve member having a fiat valve face engageable with said valve seat for controlling the flow 'of fluid, means Vfor detachably holding said valve member against centering-member..

said seat, and an annular centering memberior said rocking lvalve member.detachably fitting around said valve seat embossmnt and the face t portion otsaid valve member, Vsaid valve-member having a peripheral portion axially conning said GEORGE J. MEYER; 

